


a year in distance

by ewagan



Series: Sportsfest 2018 [23]
Category: Prince of Stride: Alternative (Anime)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-05
Updated: 2018-08-05
Packaged: 2019-06-22 03:24:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15572670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ewagan/pseuds/ewagan
Summary: it's hardly any distance at all, and somehow it still feels more than all the running tomoe has done in the last year.





	a year in distance

**Author's Note:**

> greatest distance covered to escape relationship problems: yagami tomoe
> 
> prompt [here](https://sportsfest.dreamwidth.org/10320.html?thread=1636176#cmt1636176)

7.3km

the distance between his house and the school. tomoe's run the route before, as opposed to taking the train. he wanted to see how long it would take, if it could become part of his practice hours. his parents fretted and disapproved, not because of his safety, but because riku was watching. ultimately he decided against it, because it was one thing to push himself, another to overwork himself. his parents were relieved, but he doesn't tell them he'd thought about running home after school instead, to feel the ground moving under him.

today, he runs home. he cannot bear the train, the look kyousuke had on his face when he said he would shoulder the blame, the silence between heath and him as they sat in the nurse's office while they called heath's parents. the way kyousuke had looked at him, after they said they were taking heath to the hospital.

he runs.

 

* * *

 

7691km

the distance between tokyo and seattle is an ocean, and tomoe still doesn't feel far away enough. his new shoes are already broken in, comfortable in a way he hasn't felt in weeks. it's different here; tomoe navigates his school dorms and a new world, a new life.

he doesn't have to go back, if he doesn't want to.

but already, he misses the weight of heath's head in his lap, the quiet comfort of kyousuke's presence, the sincere laughter that filled his evenings, the roar of the wind as he wrapped his arms tighter around kyousuke's waist.

the school year here starts in september and he thinks it's so strange, starting over when everything is starting to die instead of with the tender budding of spring.

 

* * *

 

176 miles (283.2km)

one of his dorm mates invite him over for christmas, so he goes. tomoe's never seen christmas like this, the massive amounts of food and gifts, the warmth and the sheer knowledge that he was wanted and welcome, despite the rapid english and accents he can't quite understand.

he laughs like he hasn't since he's come over to america, since summer and heath and kyousuke.

 

* * *

 

8810km

he flies back from los angeles, because of flight connections and other logistical problems he doesn't want to think about. he's exhausted by the time they're in tokyo, but he still has a train to catch.

the chance to come back was never one he thought he would take, but now that he's standing on japanese ground again, he thinks maybe it's time to stop running.

 

* * *

 

364.8km

kyousuke's only a hundred meters ahead, heath barely an arm’s length more.

it's hardly any distance at all, and somehow it still feels more than all the running tomoe has done in the last year.

but kyousuke turns around and sees him, heath too. they cross the distance for him, like tomoe didn't put a year and two oceans between them.

**Author's Note:**

> Any comments and kudos appreciated. <3 you can find me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/ewagan)


End file.
